1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to brushes, and more particularly pertains to a new and improved brush for cleaning the top surface of beverage cans. In grocery stores, taverns, distributorships, delivery trucks and homes around the country, there are large numbers of dirty beverage cans. The contents of the cans are frequently consumed directly therefrom by individuals. The top surfaces of these cans are contaminated from transportation in dirty environments or from other leaking cans. People presently use tissues, paper towels and scouring pads to try and clean the top surface of these cans. The problem is aggravated by the provision of a circular gutter on the top surface of the can which traps dirt therein. The present invention provides a brush for efficiently cleaning these cans prior to consumption of the contents.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various types of brushes are known in the prior art. A typical example of a can cleaning brush is to be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,763,380. This patent discloses a circular brush having a plurality of bristles and passages extending therethrough for cleaning the top surface of a beverage can. U.S. Pat. No. 2,674,758, which issued to K Fay on Apr. 13, 1954, discloses a hairbrush having a plurality of bristles and a handgrip configured top portion. U.S. Pat. No. 3,564,636, which issued to H. Tomer on Feb. 23, 1971, discloses a generally circular brush for cleaning dentures. The device includes a pair of brushes mounted within mating containers and adapted to receive a denture between opposed bristle portions of the brushes. U.S. Pat. No. 4,120,068, which issued to P. Kaczmarek on Oct. 17, 1978, discloses a cylindrical brush having a T-shaped handle. Bristles are provided on an exterior cylindrical side wall and on opposite end faces of the brush. U.S. Pat. No. 4,291,431, which issued to J. Lewis on Sept. 29, 1981, discloses a generally hemispherical brush provided with a plurality of bristle tufts. U.S. Pat. No. 4,348,060, which issued to J. Lewis, Jr. on Sept. 7, 1982, discloses a method for making flared tufted brushes in which a plurality of synthetic filament tufts are picked and the ends fused. Simultaneously, the fused ends are mounted parallel on a heat softened, thermoplastic support.
While the above mentioned devices are suited for their intended usage, none of these devices disclose a circular brush having a reciprocal longitudinal sleeve adapted for engagement around the top end portion of a can. Additionally, none of the aforesaid devices disclose a brush for cleaning the top surface of beverage cans combined with bottle and pull tab implements. Inasmuch as the art is relatively crowded with respect to these various types of brushes, it can be appreciated that there is a continuing need for and interest in improvements to such brushes, and in this respect, the present invention addresses this need and interest.